William Jarvis - Sky Valley 03 - Mayhem at the Mansion
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Authors: William Jarvis
Tags: #Mystery: Cozy - Wedding Coordinator - Georgia
| William Jarvis - Sky Valley 03 - Mayhem at the Mansion | |
| Number III of Sky Valley Mysteries | |
| William Jarvis | |
| William Jarvis (2015) | |
| Tags: | Mystery: Cozy - Wedding Coordinator - Georgia |
| Mystery: Cozy - Wedding Coordinator - Georgiattt |
Then she receives an invitation to a party from Frank Albert Holt—a man she doesn’t even know. She wonders why she got invited to the party but decides to go. Then she realizes that Frank is actually a guy who could change her life—for better or for worse. Meeting Frank takes Emmy into an adventure of the unknown, and she begins to question herself more than she ever did before...
Chapter 4 See You At The Mansion
Chapter 6 Party At The mansion
Chapter 7 Desserts Prepared By Whom?
Chapter 8 Everything’s Going To Be Alright
Chapter 16 How Well Do You Know Him?
Chapter 17 This Was In The Pie
Mayhem At The Mansion
SkyValley Cozy Mystery Series
Book 3
By: William Jarvis
Yap Kee Chong
8345 NW 66 ST #B7885
Miami, FL 33166
Digital Edition
Copyright 2015
All Rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any way or form or by any means whether electronic or mechanical, this means that you cannot record or photocopy any material ideas or tips that are provided in this book.
Get Notice of Our New Releases Here!
Part 1 – Coffee, Cupcakes & Murder
Part 2 – Beaches & Coffee
Part 4 – Murderous Coffee Crumb
Check Out Our Other Books
Wolf In Disguise: Once Bitten
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PH8QGTO
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Wolf In Disguise: The Past Bites
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Wolf In Disguise Trilogy
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Forbidden Passion
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PHF6YQM
Second Chance
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Closure
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Black & White Trilogy
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CONTENTS
Chapter 3 Strange Encounters
14
Chapter 4 See You At The Mansion
21
Chapter 5 She’s Cooking Again
26
Chapter 6 Party At The mansion
32
Chapter 7 Desserts Prepared By Whom?
39
Chapter 8 Everything’s Going To Be Alright
44
Chapter 16 How Well Do You Know Him?
79
Chapter 17 This Was In The Pie
86
Chapter 19 She’s My Daughter
91
CHAPTER
1
A DARK DREAM
"I'm sorry for everything I've done. I swear, if I was in the right state of mind and if I was thinking clearly, I would never think of those things. But I'm just this weak person who let other people feed on her weaknesses. And...and I know it's not right but I couldn't help it.
I was the one who sent myself all of those things. I sent myself those crazy notes and I cut up that dress.
I was also the one who killed my own husband. And I guess, it's also the reason why my mind cracked and made me realize that I was being insane and that what I was doing was wrong.
All those things happened because someone asked me to do them. Someone who is mad at your family, Emmy. And I know that sounds like a lame excuse, but I can assure you that it's not. Or yeah, maybe it is and for that, I want to say I'm sorry.
I want to tell you everything, but I can't tell you in this letter.
But I want you to know that someone's trying to hurt you. Someone is behind this.
I'll tell you when we talk. I just have to see the police first."
Emmy woke up feeling like her heart was just going to get out of her chest. She was sweating and once again, she felt a surge of all these conflicting feelings.
It's been three months since Ruby died. Ruby was Emmy's client who apparently turned out to be Daniel's ex-girlfriend. She got married at Beaches and Coffee, the branch of Emmy's family's coffee shop at the Sky Valley Resort. A lot of things have happened before and after the wedding, though.
At first, Ruby pretended to be someone named Scarlet. Then, she fooled everyone by making them think that someone was threatening her and that someone was sending her nasty messages. She even cut up the first wedding dress that Emmy made for her which led Emmy to make another one.
Then, Ruby's husband Edward died. It was ruled out as an accident but Emmy was questioned because it happened at the resort.
Things really seemed to be crazy. And then there was that letter.
For a couple of times now, Emmy had dreamed about it. Well, for her, those dreams were nightmares because they reminded her of how crazy things have been and how she failed yet again.
Grace, Ruby's sister, gave her the letter after Ruby died. It never left her mind since.
And you know what else didn't leave her mind? The fact that she and Daniel broke up.
She couldn't blame him, really. She broke up with him, after all. But of course, it still hurt.
She broke up with Daniel because she felt like it was all too much already. Audrina was accused of having something to do with Annabeth's death and Ruby, who was Daniel's ex, also died just three months ago. Emmy felt like it was all too much that she didn't know what to do anymore. She always had no idea what to do.
Sure, she loved Daniel. In fact, she still loves him, but the thing is that she has no idea if their relationship was actually worth anything. All it brought was pain and sadness and all these confusion--and it is already very frustrating.
She got up from bed and fixed herself before making her way downstairs where the smell of apples and pecan greeted her.
She went to the dining room and found her father preparing some dishes. There was a platter of pie in the middle of the table.
"Oh hey!" Troy said. "I tried making this apple and pecan pie which recipe I found online." He smiled, "It's crazy what you find on the internet these days!" He laughed.
"Awww," Emmy said. "It actually smells good, dad." She then took a knife from one of the plates and cut a piece of pie which she placed on her plate. She dug in with a fork and tasted the soft bit of apples and the crunchiness of pecans in her mouth. The pie was decadent--there was no denying that. "It tastes great, too." She smiled and gave her father a peck on the cheek. It was small moments like this that made her smile.
After Annabeth died, her father stopped cooking or spending time in the kitchen. He tried to make things work but then again, the tragedy at the resort happened and it shook him, maybe more than it shook Emmy. After all, he was the one who built their empire and it's his credibility that's slowly crumbling to pieces.
"You know," Emmy said, "I'm happy you're baking again." She also wished the same for herself. After what happened at the resort, it was as if this big dark cloud of depression enveloped her and she didn't know how to function anymore. In fact, it has been three months since she put her apron on and cooked, or even made herself a salad. She also steered away coffee and everything that would remind her of how things have been in the past couple of months. She tried hard to escape from herself.
In fact, she wanted to go back to Paris but she couldn't leave her father just like that. Plus, if she leaves, people would probably think that she really is healthy--and she couldn't let that happen.
"Well," her father, Troy, spoke. "You got to do what you got to do. And, I think we really should not let them limit ourselves. Didn't you always tell me that people are always going to say something so you just got to do what you want?"
She laughed."I'm finding it hard to listen to myself right now."
"Miss Emmy?" The voice of Anja, their maid, resonated across the room. She's fairly new--she just started working for them a month and a half ago but so far, she's done well. She was industrious and determined and she never made any of them feel like she was scared of them.
"Anja!" Emmy said, “What is it?”
“Here,” Anja said as she handed her a cream black envelope with white lettering. Emmy’s name was written on it. “This came for you.”
CHAPTER 2
THE INVITATION
“Thanks.” Emmy told Anja as she opened the envelope. She wondered who in the world would send her something like that. Audrina was still in Guatemala and they spoke mostly on the phone and via e-mail, Daniel was not speaking to her, and she basically cut ties with almost all her friends so it makes her wonder who on earth could be sending her a letter or whatever it is that she’s holding right now.
Her eyes widened when she read what’s written on the letter.
Dear Emilia Marie Byrne,
You are cordially invited to my housewarming party on Saturday, the 5th of September, at 55 Cobbler Lane, Sky Valley, Rabun, Georgia.
Wear black or white—it’s all up to you.
See you there!
Frank Alfred Holt
“Frank Alfred Holt.” Emmy repeated then looked at her father. “Dad, do you know anyone named Frank Alfred Holt?”
“No idea.” Troy answered. “He’s inviting you for a housewarming party, isn’t he? Maybe he’s new here.”
“Yeah but I have no idea who he is. And how in god’s name does he know me?” She said.
“Maybe, he heard about—“
“About all those deaths?” Emmy said, the pain evident in her voice. “About the fact that our business is now struggling? Maybe, he wants me there so everyone could laugh at me.”
“Honey, maybe he heard about your online business.”
“Which is also stale right now, you know.”
Troy sighed. “Relax, Em.” He said and held her by the shoulders. “I know life has been tough the past couple of months but what could we do? Maybe, he just wants to make friends. You haven’t gone out in so long, darling. Why not try this?”
“Well, the last time I tried to get out there and rebuild my life after Annabeth’s death, it just came crashing down even more so you really couldn’t blame me, dad.”
“I know,” he said. “But you also cannot just let yourself be cooped up in here forever.”
Emmy looked at him and took a deep breath. Her father was the one who’s been cooped up at home all this time and now, he’s speaking like he wants Emmy to see the world again. “Wait,” Emmy said. “You know, I feel like you’ve been talking to Audrina. She’s the one who always talks that way, you know.”